Againfifpiritual wicliedne 2 7 14,0042,r 44414101.44444:40:4+tS- 0 CHAP. V I I I. HowSatan labours to corrupt the Cbriflians minde with errour. He fecond fort of fpiritual finnes are fuch as are not only afted in the fpirit, but are converfant about fpiritual ob- jets proper to the foules nature chat is a fpirit, and not laid out in carnal paffions of &filly lulls, in which the foul afts but as a Pander for the body,and partakes of their delights only by way of fympathy ; for as the foul feels the bodies pains no other way then by fy mpat hy,foneither doth it (hare in the pleafures of the flefh by any proper tele it bath of them, but only from its near neighbourhood with the body doth fympathize with its joy ; but in fpiritual wickedneffes that corrupt the minde, here the foul moves in its own fphere with a delight proper to it felfe ; and there are no leffe of thefe then the other. There is hardly a flefhly lull, but bath fome fpiritual finne analogical to it, as they fay there is no fpecies of creatures on the land but may be pattern'd in the lea t Thus the heart of man can produce fpiritual finnes anfwering carnal lulls ; for whoredom and un- cleannefTe of the flefli,there is idolatry call'd in Scripture fpi- ritual adultery ,fromwhich the feat of Antichrift is call'd fpiri- tualSociam;for fenfual drunkenneffe,there is a drunkennefle of the minde intoxicating the judgement with errour, a drunkennefTe of the heart in cares and feares ; for carnal pride in beauty, riches, honour, there is a fpiritual pride of gifts graces, &c. Now Satan in an efpecial manner affaults the Chriflian with fuch as thefe ; it would require a larger difcourfe then I can allow to runne over the feveral kinder of them; I (hail ofmany pickout two or three. As firfl, Satan labours to corrupt the mind with erroneous princi- ples, he was at work at the very firft plantation of the Gofpel, fowing his darnel, affoon almoft as Chrift his wheate, which fprung up in pernicious errours,even in the Apoffles times,which made them take the weeding-hook into their hands, and in all NI m z their
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=